Street marker



March 27, 1934. B A STERN Er AL 1,952,471

STREET MARKER Filed May 6, 1931 f .42 /O /5 4/ /0 I A w section of amodified form of marker.

Patented Mar. 27, 1934 STREET MARKER Benjamin A. Stern and John J.Koflier, Newark,

N. J., assignors to National Metalloys Corporation, a corporation ofPennsylvania,

Application May 6, 1931, Serial No. 535,360

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved street marker of the kind that isplaced in a pavement to indicate stop lines and for similar purposes.The marker is made of one piece, is cast to provide a self-securing formof stem and is made of an alloy that remains bright under wear andweather conditions. Furthermore, the marker, which is of mushroom shape,has a slightly rounded top face which is cut up into relatively smallprojections and in this way providing a myriad of reflecting surfaceswhen a row of the markers is observed under daylight or in the light ofheadlamps.

The marker is also of advantage over the prior types in that the stem isformed to receive material of the pavement that is displaced by thespreading or forked end of the stem and thus allowing the top of themarker to be seated firmly down on the pavement and also assisting inholding it against removal or turning.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure1 is a top view of a marker embodying our invention. Figure 2 is acentral vertical section of the marker after it has been driven into apavement. Figure 3 is a similar view of the lower part of stem beforethe prongs have been spread by driving the'marker down. Figure 4 is abottom view of the marker with the head broken partly away. Figure 5 isa Figure 6 is a similar view of the top part of a still further modifiedform of marker. Figure 7 is a sectional view of a marker installed in anew way particularly used in concrete or granite blocks.

The marker is, in general, similar in shape to a mushroom with arelatively flat head 10 and a stem 11. which is cut up by grooves 13into a series of smaller projections 14. These, on account of therounded top provide a myriad of reflecting surfaces. This attracts theattention of the driver of an approaching vehicle. The marker is made ofmaterial that does not tarnish in weather or under wear and we find anyalloy containing .455 nickel and which can be cast and which also haswear as cement, plastic wood and similar mate- The head has a roundedtop face 12 rial. It can also be made of rubber which can be supplied inany color and forcibly wedged into a cavity to hold it with or withoutan adhesive. Such a plug is shown at 17 in Figure 6 the plug fittingunder the overhanging edges of the cavity 18. Such plugs of contrastingcolor are used to give additional visual warning and are an additionalsafeguard to pedestrians and vehicle drivers.

Previous to the insertion of the stem 11 in the pavement a hole 19 isdrilled in the pavement. The hole is not as deep as the length of thestem 11. The end of the stem is bifurcated and the two prongs 20 areslightly divergent. When the marker is driven down by a sledge or othermeans from the position shown in Figure 3, to the one shown in Figure 2,the jaws or prongs 20 are spread and hold the marker in place.

The stem 11 is hollow and on the outer face it has recesses that can besuitably disposed but we show the longitudinally arranged grooves 21.The grooves allow the entrance of paving material displaced by theprongs 20. This material is squeezed into the recesses and allows themarker to come down to a point even with the pavement as the material isnot humped up to the surface and by being located in the recesses 21 itassists in holding the marker against turning and also prevents cantingor tilting of the marker by heavy vehicles.

These grooves are concave and form ridges between them which ridges aslongitudinal projections facilitate the entrance of the stem and assistin holding the marker against becoming loosed by strains tending torotate the marker.

The hole is usually drilled through the asphalt until it reachesconcrete underneath. When the hole is filled with cement and the markerimbedded, a solid pillar is formed upon which the marker rests and inthis way one of the great faults of existing methods of installingmarkers is eliminated. That is that the markers sink into the asphaltduring hot weather.

We wish to include in the material to be used for the plug, a plug madeof nonshattering glass of any contrasting color which will be cementedinto cavity 16 in Figure 5 or cavity 18 in Figure 6. Also any materialsuch as transparent cellulose or gelatine material may be used.

The plugs are made in pieces separate from the body of the marker togive them longer life as the plugs do not abut on their bottom faces onthe solid material of the marker and are therefore less liable to crackunder heavy impacts.

The marker may be installed as shown in Figure 7. The hole 22 is drilledlarger and deeper than the stem 11 and is filled with material 23 thathardens, such as concrete. This material may be plastic material such asplastic wood. It is desirable that it harden quickly. We have found itvery satisfactory to use sulphur in which the stem 11 is embedded.

The under face of the head 10 is provided with a flat marginal annularsurface 24 and an intermediate annular rib 25 which also rests on thepavement and limits the entrance of the stem 11 into the pavement.

In case of concrete and similar pavements the spreading of the prongs orjaws 20 is helped by a block 26 shown in Figure 5. This block is atapered block. It can be pyramidal ,or conical and insures the properspreading of the prongs in very hard material.

upper end of the opening having its Wall undercut, and a. separate plugof a color contrasting with the head to fit into undercut portion toform a closure for the opening and as a central marker on the head.

BENJAMIN A. STERN. JOHN J. KOFFLER.

